CONFIRM® service is a product offered by the United States Postal Service. U.S. Postal Service Publication 197 (“Publication 197”) describes in detail various aspects of the CONFIRM® service and CONFIRM® service interfaces; Publication 197 is incorporated by reference in full herein for all purposes as if fully stated herein.
CONFIRM® is a mail tracking service of PLANET™ Codes that provides electronic tracking information to USPS customers about their First-Class, Standard letter-size, flat mail and periodicals. CONFIRM® provides advance delivery information about incoming hard-copy reply mail (“Origin CONFIRM®”) and outbound mail (“Destination CONFIRM®”).
In order to track mail, CONFIRM® uses a combination of two tracking numbers: a 5- or 11-digit POSTNET (POStal Numeric Encoding Technique) Code and a 12- or 14-digit PLANET™ Code. The POSTNET and PLANET™ Codes must be encoded as a barcode and applied to the mail piece.
In order to facilitate mail handling and optical reading equipment processing of mail by the USPS and to properly interpret PC Postage, addressee information, and CONFIRM® tracking information, postage indicia and related labels need to be applied according to USPS guidelines. USPS guidelines directed to the margins, label sizes, and placement of postage indicia, and the size, placement, and other characteristics of POSTNET and PLANET™ bar codes, and any facing identification mark (FIM) on mail pieces are described in the Domestic Mail Manual (DMM) and Title 39, Code of Federal Register (CFR), Part 111, the contents of which are incorporated by reference in full herein for all purposes.
As each mail piece progresses through to its destination, the CONFIRM® barcode on each mail piece is scanned at the different USPS processing facilities through which it passes. Electronic information for each scan is captured and is sent to a centralized network service, which collects the scan data and packages it for use by USPS customers. The electronic scan information is then electronically transferred from the centralized network and is made available in two ways: through accessing a PLANET™ Codes website or via transmission of electronic files sent to subscribing USPS customers.
CONFIRM®-barcoded mail pieces are scanned during the passage of the mail piece through various USPS processing facilities, but are not scanned (unless accompanied by Delivery Confirmation, Signature Confirmation, or similar final mail piece disposition service) upon actual delivery.
A POSTNET Code identifies a particular delivery address. A PLANET™ Code identifies a particular CONFIRM® Subscriber's mailing. If more than one mail piece in a single mailing is addressed to the same delivery address, then the CONFIRM® Service does not provide individual mail piece tracking.
The CONFIRM® service was designed to serve the high-volume mailer such as telemarketers and other businesses. High-volume mailers can benefit from tracking outbound mailings. For example, information about customer receipt of certain mailings would allow mailers to plan subsequent business activities, such as synchronizing telemarketing efforts with delivery of solicitations, or augmenting direct mail pieces with other advertising media.
The high-volume mailer basis for the CONFIRM® service is evident from the subscription fee structure charged by the U.S. Postal Service. The subscription fees, ranging from $2,000 for a three-month period, to an annual $10,000 fee, are based on the number of scans, measured in the millions.
Although large mailings are not normally the concern of individuals, individuals with low volume mailings could benefit from the ability to track processing and delivery of individual mail pieces. Low volume mailers will not be motivated to pay the high subscription fees for the U.S. Postal CONFIRM® Service. Even if they paid such fees, the CONFIRM® Service does not guarantee tracking of individual mail pieces.
Various private carriers provide individual parcel tracking, for a piece-based premium. And yet, no mail piece tracking is available for letters mailed using first class U.S. postage.
DELIVERY CONFIRMATION is another service provided by the U.S. Postal Service. DELIVERY CONFIRMATION provides the date, time and ZIP Code of delivery or attempted delivery. DELIVERY CONFIRMATION can be purchased for PRIORITY MAIL® items, Package Services parcels, STANDARD MAIL® parcels, and FIRST-CLASS MAIL® parcels, but is not available for use with FIRST-CLASS MAIL® letters.
A way for low-volume mailers to track individual outbound mail pieces is needed.